An aged miner finds a rich gold claim, stakes it out, fills a sack with samples of the gold ore and starts back across the desert to file his claim. His water gives out, and, after days of torture, he at last falls in a clump of sagebrush. In a nearby cabin Jim Durkin and Black, his partner, are about to sit down to supper when faint cries are heard. Durkin hurries out, finds the stricken miner, summons Black and they carry the old man in and lay him on the bunk. Black is a heartless, brutal fellow, and the old man refuses to talk to Durkin until Black goes out into the adjoining room. Realizing death is upon him the old prospector now tells Durkin of the rich claim, shows him the ore samples, then gives him a paper on which is drawn the location of the mine. A few moments later he is dead. Durkin and Black now swear partnership in the lost mine, bury their old benefactor, then start out to locate the great wealth. That night. Black deserts Durkin on the desert, taking the pack train and all the water. Next morning Durkin realizes his position, and starts out blindly across the burning wastes. Meanwhile Black has been robbed of his water supply by a rascally Indian. Durkin comes upon the Indian, in turn robs him of the water canteen and staggers on. The Indian tries to follow, burning with revenge, but is overcome with thirst and the intense heat, and dies miserably groveling for water. Black, after staggering on for a whole day finds no water and perishes from thirst. Durkin lasts until the following day, when his water supply gives out. Realizing his desperate position, and knowing he is lost, he kills himself with the remaining shot in his revolver.